Ghana Power Forward, Ben Bentil has signed to play for Japanese B1 League side, Gunma Crane Thunders after leaving Serbian giant, Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade).
Bentil competed in Europe’s top-tier competition, the Euroleague, with Red Star in the 2022-2023 season and is the third player from the tournament (after Hassan Martin and Arturas Gudaitis) to join the Japanese league.
The 28-year-old averaged 8.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16.6 minutes across 29 games in the Adriatic Basketball League (ABA).
With Red Star, Bentil won the Serbian League and Serbian Cup but missed out on the more high profile ABA title after losing 2-3 in a five game series to bitter rival Partizan Belgrade.
Bentil made history as the first Ghana-born player to get drafted into the NBA and play in the league; he was drafted 51st overall in the 2016 NBA Draft before playing briefly for Dallas Mavericks.
He has since played for the likes of Olimpia Milano in Italy and Panathinaikos in Greece, while winning league and cup doubles with both teams.
